History Crash Course #31: Herod the Great

A madman who murdered his own family and many rabbis, Herod was also the greatest builder in Jewish history.

Herod, the Great (not to be confused with Herod Antipas who came later) is one of the most important characters in Jewish history. He was ambitious, cruel and paranoid to be sure, but, nevertheless, he remains a very significant person in the terms of understanding this period of Roman domination of the Jewish people.

Herod first leadership role was as governor of the Galilee, a position granted to him by his father, Antipater. Early on in his career he demonstrates his brutality by ruthlessly crushing a revolt in the Galilee.

The background to Herod's rise to power is the Roman civil war that will transform Rome from a republic into and empire ruled by the Caesars or emperors. In 44BCE Julius Caesar is murdered by Brutus and Cassius who are in turn defeated by Anthony and Octavian in 42 BCE. The Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, is the final showdown between Octaviun and Anthony. Octaviun emerged as the unrivaled victor, changing his name to Augustus and becoming the first Roman emperor.

Herod had originally sided with Anthony but switches allegiance at the last minute and backs Octavian. His last minute support for Octavian earns him Augustus's confirmation as King of Israel.

Herod will reigned as king of Judea from 37 BCE until his death in 4 BCE, a very long reign of 33 years, and in many ways a good period in terms of development of the country and social stability.

Part of the reason for the stability was that during this time, the Romans took a backseat role in the day-to-day life of the Jews.

The general Roman attitude was one of tolerance, meaning Jews were granted exemptions from the official Roman state religion. A very interesting point to remember is that religion and state went together in all empires in the ancient world, and more so in Rome than almost anywhere because Rome also practiced emperor worship ― that is, the Romans deified their emperors posthumously.

Linking state and religion gave the rulers added legitimacy, obviously. The connection between temporal power and spiritual power gave them complete control over the physical existence and spiritual existence of their subjects. (Later, we are going to see the Catholic Church doing the same thing in Medieval Europe.)

While accepting the state religion was a vital part of Roman identity and loyalty to the state, the Romans were also pragmatists. They had learned by the Greek experience that Jews could not be forced to worship idols. And they saw for themselves that the Jews were not like other pagan peoples ― they were not going to conform. So the Romans granted the Jews an official status of being exempt from Roman state religion.

On the one hand, it was a very smart and very tolerant policy. On the other hand, with that policy also went a punitive tax specifically for the Jews called fiscus Judaicus. You want to be exempt from the state religion? Okay, so long as you pay for the privilege.

So, it might have happened that the Jews simply paid the tax and did their own thing. But it didn't go as smoothly as that (as we shall see).

Trade, Devlopment and Contruction

Herod's rule was characterized by a period of unprecedented growth and construction, thanks in large part to Herod's amiable relationship with Rome and his obsession with massive and elaborate construction projects

Herod had Rome's complete support in administering a very important territory which included several major trade routes. Everything moved through Judea, which was sort of like the great way-station for the incense trade coming from Yemen up the Arabian Peninsula and going out to the Mediterranean.

Additionally, this was one of the most agriculturally productive pieces of land in the Middle East famous for its olive oil (which was used as a main source of light, and not just for cooking), for its dates (the chief sweetener in the times before sugar), and for its wine.

Herod used the huge profits from trade and money acquired through the crushing taxes he placed upon his subjects to undertake a series of mammoth building projects ― some of the most magnificent in the world.

As a matter of fact if they hadn't closed the list of the wonders of the ancient world before his time, Herod would probably have added three more to list. Almost all archeologists and students of architecture of the ancient world appreciate that he was one of the greatest builders of all human history.

He built relentlessly ― cities, palaces and fortresses, some of which still stand:

the fortresses at Masada, Antonia and Herodium

the port city of Caesarea

the huge edifice at the top of the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron

the massive fortifications around Jerusalem as well as three towers at the entrance to the city (the remains of which are today erroneously named the Tower of David) and much more

At Herodium, in an incredible feat of engineering ― Herod built an artificial mountain and, on top of it, a huge palace. Unfortunately, this palace was destroyed in 70 CE during the Great Revolt.

He built another fortress, Masada, on top of a mesa, a rock plateau, in the desert. Complete with all the creature comforts in the desert, Masada had an incredible water supply system that fed gardens for growing agricultural staples and three bathhouses (Masada is open to tourists today and a sight to behold.)

The port city of Caesarea deserves special mention ― not only because it was a center of trade and the Roman administrative capitol of Judea and one of the largest ports in the Empire, but because it became a symbol in Jewish eyes of everything that was pagan, Roman, and antithetical to Judaism. Here Herod created an amazing artificial port (one of the two largest in the Empire), put in a beautiful amphitheater, a hippodrome for chariot races (like in the movie Ben Hur, bath houses, and a huge temple dedicated to the Roman god-emperor, Augustus Caesar. (You can visit today the excavations of Caesarea Maritina and they are most impressive.)

Herod's Temple

The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was almost certainly an attempt to gain popularity among his subjects who, he knew, held him in contempt and also to make amends for his cruelty toward the rabbis.

It took 10,000 men ten years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount (on top of which the Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock, stands today). The Western Wall (formerly known as the Wailing Wall) is merely part of that 500-meter-long retaining wall that was designed to hold a huge man-made platform that could accommodate twenty four football fields. When it was completed, it was the world's largest functioning religious site and until today it remains the largest man-made platform in the world.

Why did he make the Temple Mount so large?

There's no question that Herod had a huge ego and liked to impress people with grandiose building projects. But there is also another more practical reason. Historians estimate that there were about 6-7 million Jews living in the Roman Empire (plus another 1 million in Persia), many of whom would come to Jerusalem for the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. So you had to have a huge space to accommodate such a huge number of people. Hence the size of the platform.

When it came to building the Temple itself on top of this platform, Herod truly outdid himself, and even the Talmud acknowledges that the end-result was spectacular. "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building." (Talmud-Bava Basra 4a)

The Holy of Holies was covered in gold; the walls and columns of the other buildings were of white marble; the floors were of carrara marble, its blue tinge giving the impression of a moving sea of water; the curtains were tapestries of blue, white, scarlet and purple thread, depicting, according to Josephus, "the whole vista of the heavens."

Josephus describes how incredible it looked:

Viewed from without, the Sanctuary had everything that could amaze either mind or eyes. Overlaid all round with stout plates of gold, the first rays of the sun it reflected so fierce a blaze of fire that those who endeavored to look at it were forced to turn away as if they had looked straight at the sun. To strangers as they approached it seemed in the distance like a mountain covered with snow; for any part not covered with gold was dazzling white... (The Jewish War, p. 304)

Herod saw fit however, to place at the main entrance a huge Roman eagle, which the pious Jews saw as a sacrilege. A group of Torah students promptly smashed this emblem of idolatry and oppression, but Herod had them hunted down, dragged in chains to his residence in Jericho, where they were burned alive.

Having built the Temple, Herod took pains to make sure it would be run without future problems of this kind. He appointed his own High Priest, having by then put to death forty-six leading members of the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court.

Herod's Persecutions

Herod's persecutions were infamous and they even extended to his own family.

Herod, knowing that his Jewish credentials were suspect, had married Miriam ― the granddaughter of Hyrcanus and therefore a Hasmonean princess ― largely to gain legitimacy among the Jewish people. But he also loved her madly. As Josephus relates:

Of the five children which Herod had by Miriam, two of them were daughters and three were sons. The youngest of these sons was educated in Rome and died there but the two eldest he treated as those of royal blood on account of the nobility of their mother and because they were not born until he was king. But what was stronger than all this was his love he bore for Miriam which inflamed him every day to a great degree.

The problem was that Miriam hated him as much as he loved her, largely because of what he had done to her brother, Aristobulus.

Herod had made Aristobulus High Priest at the age of 17, and watched with trepidation as the young man became hugely popular. This was not surprising as Aristobulus was a Hasmonean with a legitimate right to be High Priest ― a genuine Jew and a genuine cohen.

But this threatened Herod too much and he had him drowned.

Indeed, Herod later became jealous of his own sons for the same reason and had them murdered as well.

And he even had his own wife murdered in a fit of jealousy. Josephus again:

His passion also made him stark mad and leaping out of his bed he ran around the palace in a wild manner. His sister Salome took the opportunity also to slander Miriam and to confirm his suspicions about Joseph [Miriam's alleged lover]. Then out of his ungovernable jealousy and rage he commanded both of them to be killed immediately. But as soon as his passion was over he repented of what he had done and as soon as his anger was worn off his affections were kindled again... Indeed, the flame of his desires for her was so hard that he could not think she was dead but he would appear under his disorders to speak to her as if she were still alive... (Antiquities 15.7.4,5)

Not a stable man to say the least. Even Augustus said of him: "It is better to be Herod's dog than one of his children."

Herod's paranoia, his interference with the Temple hierarchy, and his dedication to the Hellenization of the Jewish people all contributed to the growing discontent that would erupt in a revolt against Rome some 70 years after his death.

Spiritual Conflict

Beneath the surface events, there was a deeper spiritual battle raging ― between paganism and Judaism. Additionally, Jewish nationalistic feelings were rising to the surface.

It didn't help matters that Hellenism dominated Judea. A significant number of Greeks as well as other gentiles who adopted the Greek lifestyle had lived here since the days of the Greek Empire and now, encouraged by the Romans, more Hellenist outsiders came to settle the land.

Additionally, the Jewish upper-classes, though a minority, subscribed to this "higher" culture. And of course, the king was an avowed Hellenist.

Seeing himself as an enlightened leader who would bring his backward people into the modern world, Herod did what he saw necessary to accomplish his "idealistic" end. This included the persecution and murder of all rabbis whom he viewed not only as threats to his authority, but as obstacles to the mass Hellenization of the Jews.

As a result of Herod's interference and the ever-spreading Hellenistic influences among the Jewish upper classes, the Temple hierarchy became very corrupt. The Sadducees, a religious group of the wealthy, who collaborated with the Romans in order to keep their power base, now controlled the Temple, much to the chagrin of the mainstream Jewish majority, the Pharisees, and of the extreme religious minority, the Zealots.

The cauldron was beginning to boil and soon it would erupt.

1) See Talmud ― Megillah 6a
2) The Talmud relates the following story: Herod went and killed [most of] Rabbis. However he left Bavas ben Buta alive in order to use him as an adviser Herod put a crown of sharpened porcupine skin around his eyes, [and the sharp spines] blinded him. One day Herod, [pretending to be an ordinary citizen], sat down before Bava ben Buta and said, "Rabbi, do realize the terrible things this no-good slave Herod is doing?" "What should I do to him?" replied Bave ben Buta. Said Herod , [trying to trap him], "I want you to curse him." Replied Bava ben Buta, "[How can I curse him] It says, 'Even in your thoughts do not curse a king.'(Ecclesiastes 12:20). Retorted Herod, "But he is no king; [he does not meet the criteria of a Jewish king.]" replied Bava ben Buta, "He certainly is no less than a rich man and the same verse continues, 'and in your bedchamber do not curse the rich.' He certainly is no different than a leader, and it says, 'Do not curse the leader of your people' (Exodus 22:27).'... Herod then confessed, "I am Herod. If I had know that the rabbis were so careful [with their words], I would not have killed them. Now please tell what I can do to rectify what I have done?" Replied Bava ben Buta, "Since you snuffed out the light of the world, [that is what the rabbis are called]... you should involve yourself in [increasing] the light of the world [i.e. the Temple]... Someone who has not seen the new Temple that Herod built has never seen a magnificent building." Talmud ― Bava Basra 3b-4a

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About the Author

Rabbi Ken Spiro, originally from New Rochelle, NY, graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Russian Language and Literature and did graduate studies at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. He has rabbinic ordination from Aish Jerusalem and a Masters Degree in History from Vermont College of Norwich University. Rabbi Spiro is also a licensed tour guide by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs such as BBC, National Geographic Channel and The History Channel. He lives near Jerusalem with his wife and five children, where he works as a senior lecturer for Aish Jerusalem.

In one volume, Crash Course in Jewish History explores the 4,000 years of Jewish existence while answering the great questions: Why have the Jewish people been so unique, so impactful, yet so hated and so relentlessly persecuted?

Crash Course in Jewish History is not only comprehensive and readable, it is also entertaining and enlightening. Novices and scholars alike will find Crash Course in Jewish History to be thought-provoking and insightful, as well as a valuable and relevant guide to understanding the challenges we all face in the 21st century.

Visitor Comments: 25

If we say Herod was acting in prehistoric era, what can we say about leaders who are more depraved today. We have learnt nothing.

(21)
descendent,
November 13, 2013 6:27 PM

69th great grandfather

I recently discovered through ancestral research that King Herod the Great was my 69th great grandfather. I enjoyed reading this article about him and am very interested in a good, accurate, historical depiction of him. Do you know of any good books on this man?

(20)
Anonymous,
July 9, 2012 5:54 PM

Excellent short history

ihistory I am now reading "JERUSALEM" by Simon S. Montefiore. It is a compelling and informative biography of Jerusalem. I find myself leaving the book and researching the characters and places from various sources. Therefore, reading is quite slow. This is a book that I will never lend or give away....It is fascinating to say the least.. I have recommended this book to a few of my friends who admit that it is difficult to put down. I wonder how long did it take him to write this book?

(19)
Anonymous,
January 8, 2012 1:09 PM

LEADERS OF SOME COOUNTRIES

Herod life reminds me of some of our most recent leaders of north african and middle eastern nations. This type lifestyle is because of conflicting ideas of righteousness and not understanding who God is...

(18)
Jason,
January 7, 2011 6:19 PM

Thanks

Am doing research on Herod the Great! What an absolutely fascinating historical person. From his parents, political abilities, murderous ambition, fear of losing his throne, architectural accomplishments. Amazing! What I don't understand is why people say he was mad? Surely he was prone to fits of rage, but when you have that much authority that is not necessarily unusual. Did he become depressed or guilt ridden for many of the things he did - sure, but he didn't know what to do about it. Was he paranoid about losing his throne - absolutely! But this also is nothing new for kings and dictators. It's not crazy or madness as much as it is a person who has made their whole existence about themselves and their power, and when anything begins to disrupt that they respond like a tyrannical, spoiled child. Their actions and reactions are very predictable, which is not true of a crazy person. Anyhow I appreciated your presentation without hyperbolizing the insanity aspect as I have read in several other places.

Deborah,
November 6, 2013 12:59 PM

Herod was indeed "mad"

It is reported by Josephus that in the last months and weeks of Herod's life, he would walk the halls and courts of the palace having conversations with and calling out to his dead Hasmonean wife whom he had executed years before in a fit of rage. So yes, it is quite accurate to say Herod went mad, at least in the final months of his life, but was most likely always touched with a certain degree of mental instability, his fits or rage followed by deep depression confirms it.

Anonymous,
February 4, 2014 9:10 PM

applicable to Herod the great

in aspect of human's way reacting in different ways. But at the minimum for all the people and family members' lives he took-is No excuse to justify this with Grandeous buildings to make up for it.

(17)
Bea,
January 2, 2011 11:33 PM

One addition about Herod's wife, Miriam

I love reading these history articles!
As an aside, if I remember correctly, in the Talmud (I don't remember where) it tells a little more of Herod's killing rampage and says that he murdered all the descendants of the Hasmoneans, and took the last remaining one as his wife. He did this so that nobody would be able to say that they were the true kings. Miriam, however, refused to be married to the man who had wiped out her entire family, so she committed suicide, announcing that "if anyone says he is a descendant of the Hasmonean family, know that he is a liar, for I am the last living descendant." Herod hid this fact, and had her body preserved for another two years, until he decided to "kill her." Just an interesting fact. (As I know, not EVERYTHING can be included in a "crash course").

Myer,
September 24, 2013 8:17 PM

Reference

The quote you are referring to is in Bava Basra 3b (10 lines from end). But, she was preserved (in honey) for7 years, not 2.

(16)
Nanatte Waters,
October 19, 2007 5:46 AM

Very informative,easy to read for my students. Packed with facts

(15)
susana,
October 6, 2007 6:23 PM

I love history (His story). We can understand the word of Hashem more clearly , when we see the Bible, in the historical, cultural, political and spiritual stand pint.Congratulations

(14)
Thomas Sebastian,
July 3, 2007 10:17 PM

Thank You Very Much

Dear Respected Rabbi These reading are always interesting More than that they are inspiring Often they are informative However always are food for thought

(13)
Menashe Kaltmann,
July 2, 2007 3:25 PM

It is important to read Footnote #2 - the quote from Bava Basra 3b

Thank you aish.com and R. Spiro for this wonderfully written article.

Especially interesting is what you have quoted in your article Footnote No. 2. This conversation recorded in The Talmud Bava Basra 3b-4a is a remarkable snippet of information. Herod the insane king kills all the Sages of the generation yet keeps one alive called Bavas ben Buta. Despite being blinded by Herod Bavas ben Buta refuses to talk "Lashon Hora" gossip or disparangingly about the wicked Herod.

Bavas ben Buta steers clear of all such talk/gossip.

I have a good friend who works in a senior position for The Australian Government. He often quotes this whole incident as a lesson an example of NOT to talk bad of anyone working in his department. My friend never indulges in any office gossip.

I think an important ethical lesson is to be learnt also from this account.

(12)
David S,
December 27, 2005 12:00 AM

Awesome info. A great insight into Herod. Thank you.

Thanks for the help on Herod the Great. Very invaluable in helping me write a story, which required detailed info of Herod. Thanks again

(11)
Andy,
February 27, 2005 12:00 AM

Herod the Great information

i would just like to thank you verry much for creating this web site because it helped out enormously when i was trying to do a report on Herod the Great. Your site is packed with good information and details. I highly doubt that without your web page, i would be able to find enough information in order to do my report.
thank you
god bless
Andy

(10)
chris gough,
December 9, 2004 12:00 AM

Correction.

I believe that Augustus actually said, "It is better to be Herod's pig (hus) than one of his son(huios)." This was a bit of a play on words as well as an offensive statement for any Jewish man. Thanks for the great history, I have enjoyed it greatly and it will be useful in an upcoming sermon!

(9)
Leo Linsky,
November 8, 2003 12:00 AM

Excellent history of Jewish people and culture. Many great words of wisdom and insights. Thank you for the great effort in simplifying such a complicated concept.

(8)
don mercer,
January 23, 2003 12:00 AM

A wonderful piece of work!!!

Found the historical explanation of Herod's character explains a great deal about the events that followed. Thanks for a fine researched piece of writing!!

(7)
sandra hepner,
January 20, 2003 12:00 AM

fascinating...

THIS PERIOD HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME. You are drawing back the curtains of time to REVEAL a fascinating era of challenge and response from our people... thanks....

(6)
Eliseo Rodas,
January 20, 2003 12:00 AM

Historically Correct

Incredible written in all its accounts. The historical background was well researched, therefore it does not lacks any corrections. Of all my researchs on Herod, I find this brief column to be of great historical value.

(5)
,
June 12, 2001 12:00 AM

Extremely informative and understandable; an immensely useful part of my research about this historical period. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and previous articles in this series, and anticipate with bated breath the next installment.

(4)
Jane Topp,
June 12, 2001 12:00 AM

Really interesting

..thanks for taking the time to write it.Jane topp

(3)
sam socher,
June 11, 2001 12:00 AM

Facinating and extremely well written ( as if I would expect less from Aish) By far the most well rounded and readable historical summeries I've ever read.
Thank you so much, and I can only hope that this series will continue up till our own current events.
Sam Socher

(2)
Dan Strauss,
June 10, 2001 12:00 AM

informative and interesting article

I would like to know more about Herod and especially his motives

(1)
Danny Lynchard,
June 10, 2001 12:00 AM

I enjoy your website very much. Particularly the historical section.

I continue to look forward to the next Crash Course in Jewish history. It is particularly enlightening and honest.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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